Arizona and Utah in AP top 25 preseason poll

The Wildcats received 1,518 points and five first-place votes from the 65-member panel.

But everyone is chasing preseason No. 1 Kentucky, which garnered 1,604 points and 52 first-place votes. It’s the fourth fourth preseason No. 1 ranking for the Wildcats also were tops in 1995-96, when they won the national championship, and in 1980-81.

Wisconsin, which returns most of last season’s Final Four team, has its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 3. The Badgers received eight first-place votes, but are 35 points behind Arizona in the poll.

No other team received first-place votes.

Utah tied with Harvard for 25th in the preseason rankings with 98 points. The Utes are the only team, which didn’t participate in last season’s NCAA tournament, included among the top 25.